On the way back, Liu Jun kept asking Qian Hongming to help him find overseas business opportunities, but Qian Hongming just habitually placed his left hand near his mouth and smiled without saying a word. It took Liu Jun several mental turns to understand that Qian Hongming was unwilling to meet with his father because of business matters. Just as he was about to say, “just speak directly in the future,” he immediately covered his mouth with his hand before the words could come out. Cui Jiali was still sitting in front of them, and it seemed Qian Hongming had never mentioned the past to Cui Jiali; otherwise, why would there be any need to be so secretive about it? Only after Liu Jun figured this out did he realize his hand was also placed near his mouth, and he suddenly began to understand the meaning behind Qian Hongming’s gesture.

Cui Jiali, however, curiously asked a straightforward question: “Why won’t you help?”

Liu Jun quickly said, “Hongming is still traumatized. Previously, when he helped me, I ended up beating him up instead. He’s long since given up on me and put me on his non-cooperation list.”

“What are you talking about? That’s not true at all.”

Both men knew the truth, but only Cui Jiali’s round, bright eyes darted back and forth between them. Liu Jun watched from behind, puzzled, and vaguely felt that Cui Jiali was somewhat pitiful. These two had been dating since university and were now married—the husband knew his wife so well he could speak for her, yet the wife might not understand her husband at all. Such inequality—could this be considered a perfect marriage?

That night before bed, Qian Hongming came to the guest room to say goodnight. Liu Jun pulled him inside and said quietly, “Hongming, let me give you some advice. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Don’t shoulder and carry everything without being willing to set it down, and don’t pursue perfection in everything.”

Qian Hongming disagreed: “I was just thinking of giving you a lesson before you take over the factory. Domestic conditions are different from where you’ve been. Your environment there was simple, but back here in China, you need to pay attention to social customs and relationships, and even more importantly, you need to watch your mouth.”

“I don’t agree. I’ve always been this way, and look—our teacher loves me just as much as he loves you. Take you and me for example: if someone told you that Liu Jun was stabbing you in the back, would you believe it? Definitely not, because we’ve proven our character through years of friendship, right?”

Qian Hongming smiled and shook his head: “No. All your examples don’t involve interests, so they lack universal significance. When your interactions are related to interests, every cent and penny must be calculated clearly and recorded accurately, otherwise, there will be endless trouble later. We won’t argue about this today. Let’s put our viewpoints on the table here, and in a year when you return to Germany, we’ll look back and verify who was right.”

Liu Jun could only stomp his feet helplessly: “I’ve had one question I’ve been asking myself since childhood: how did I end up being good friends with you? Do we share the same philosophy of life? No! Do we share the same worldview? Still no! I don’t need a year—I’m telling you right now, I won’t change my viewpoint.”

Qian Hongming just smiled cheerfully: “That’s fine too. We’ll seek common ground while preserving our differences. Get some rest early.”

Cui Jiali looked at her husband returning to the master bedroom with a relaxed and happy expression, and asked curiously: “What did you two talk about? You look so happy.”

“We discussed philosophies of life and worldviews.” Qian Hongming took off his shoes and got into bed. After thinking for a moment, he added, “Liu Jun showed mercy and didn’t discuss values with me.”

“Really? Liu Jun is so carefree and like a big boy—he’d talk about such topics?”

“You forgot that Germany is the homeland of Hegel, Nietzsche, and those people. What do you want to eat tomorrow morning?”

“I’ll handle tomorrow morning. I’ll go buy some tofu pudding… should I also cook some millet porridge?”

“Tofu pudding and millet porridge—won’t that be too filling? Hey, you’re not being lazy today?”

“Your good friend is here. Liu Jun is quite fun, a real sunshine boy. Sigh, did many girls chase after him before?”

“Many. When he got on the basketball court, girls from the entire school would scream.”

“Strange how you two can be good friends with such different personalities.”

Cui Jiali’s words kept Qian Hongming awake for an extra half hour. He thought back for a long time, chuckling to himself in the darkness. From childhood, he had envied Liu Jun so much—that guy had talent when he needed talent, money when he needed money, naturally good relationships with people, friends everywhere. It was he who had forcibly attached himself to become Liu Jun’s good friend, basking in reflected glory beside the brilliant Liu Jun, and they had remained good friends ever since. Thinking of this, Qian Hongming smiled. Such a friendship, by all accounts, didn’t conform to his usual principles for making friends, yet it had existed for so many years. Perhaps he hadn’t needed to try to change Liu Jun’s way of dealing with people just now—maybe that was the survival method most suitable for Liu Jun.

The next day, Liu Jun visited his father for the third time. Seeing his father’s rapid recovery, he was greatly comforted. His discussion with the doctor reached the same conclusion—his father’s physiological functions were miraculously repairing themselves. This strengthened his resolve even more. Two days later, his father sent him back to Germany, telling him to hurry up and pack to come to China to take over.

Liu Shitang was filled with joy, joy beyond measure. Almost as soon as his son left, he packed up and discharged himself from the hospital. A year? Year after year, then, once he came, he wouldn’t fear his son leaving again. However, Liu Shitang caught several suspicious clues from his son’s words—why was Qian Hongming so devoted to his son for no reason? What was his purpose? He had practically watched Qian Hongming grow up, and that kid had never been simple since childhood, with too deep a scheming mind. Even if he was a childhood friend of his foolish son, could someone like Qian Hongming still consider his son a good friend after all these years? Showing excessive courtesy without reason meant either theft or adultery. Liu Shitang became vigilant and thought it over repeatedly, not daring to let his son get too close to Qian Hongming. He later asked Liu Hongying and learned that Qian Hongming lived in the western part of the city, so he bought his son a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit in the high-rise luxury complex in the eastern part of the city that had been delayed for so long before completion, and had it renovated immediately. He had to build a tight fence to prevent his son from being taken advantage of.

Even though some people in society were still skeptical about mortgages, unable to figure them out, and newspapers were still vigorously promoting the benefits of mortgages, encouraging people who loved to save to use future money to purchase present good living in advance, Liu Shitang chose mortgages without hesitation in a trendy manner, and even pulled strings to get the lowest down payment. It wasn’t that he lacked ready cash, but first, he was putting on a pitiful act in front of his son, and second, he had always believed that money had to flow to make money—he would never tie up large amounts of money in fixed assets that couldn’t generate interest. The mortgage system newly introduced by the country last year suited his taste; otherwise, after buying the house, he would have turned around and mortgaged it for a three-year loan anyway.

Liu Jun spent most of his time trying to convince his girlfriend to make a one-year pact, agreeing to communicate through email. But his girlfriend simply didn’t believe there would still be feelings after a year. She was full of anxiety about his one-year deadline, and no matter how much Liu Jun swore and cursed, it was useless. His departure date kept getting postponed. The measuring instruments Liu Jun had purchased had long been delivered to his hometown by DHL, but he delayed for a full twenty days before finally bidding a reluctant farewell to his girlfriend.

Liu Shitang personally brought his driver to the airport to pick up Liu Jun. After picking up his son, Liu Shitang wasn’t in a hurry to go home. He first proudly took his son to the Green Wave Pavilion, where Clinton had just eaten last year, for dinner, then stayed overnight at the domestic five-star Jinjiang Hotel—he couldn’t shortchange his son. Only on the second day did they set out for home, with him talking excitedly the entire way without closing his mouth once. At first, Liu Jun advised his father to take it easy on his health, but his father said that seeing him return was more effective than swallowing immortal peaches. Liu Jun thought to himself that his father didn’t seem to have had a minor stroke at all—it was more like hyperthyroidism.

Getting out of the car, Liu Shitang immediately sent his son into the newly renovated house that was still warm from construction—all the wooden fixtures hadn’t been painted yet, and the only furniture was a bedroom set, though the piano Liu Jun had used as a child was already set up in the living room. He was self-aware—his son absolutely couldn’t live with him. Otherwise, not only would he have no freedom, but his son would probably have to flee again before even a year was up.